USA > Kentucky > History of Kentucky, Volume II > Part 76
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Richard Mentor Johnson, a representative and a senator from Ken- tucky ; born in Bryant's Station, Kentucky, October 17, 1781 ; attended Transylvania University; studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1802, and began practice in Great Crossings, Kentucky ; member of the State Legislature 1804-1807; elected as a democrat to the Tenth, and to the five succeeding congresses (March 4, 1807-March 3, 1819) ; during his term of congressional service was commissioned colonel of Kentucky Volunteers, and commanded a regiment under Gen. William H. Harrison in the expeditions and engagements in Lower Canada in 1813; partici- pated in the battle of the Thames, October 5, 1813, and Congress, by resolution of April 4, 1818, presented him a sword in recognition of "the daring and distinguished valor displayed by himself and the regiment of volunteers under his command in charging and essentially contributing to vanquish the combined British and Indian forces" in this battle ; elected to the United States Senate, to fill vacancy caused by resignation of John J. Crittenden ; reelected and served from December 10, 1819, to March 3, 1829; reelected to the Twenty-first, and to the three succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1829-March 3, 1837); vice president of the United States March 4, 1837-March 3, 1841, chosen by the senate; de- feated for vice president on the democratic ticket in 1840; state represen- tative; died in Frankfort, Kentucky, November 19, 1850.
William Lindsay, a senator from Kentucky; born in Rockbridge County, Virginia, September 4, 1835; settled in Clinton, Hickman County, Kentucky, in November, 1854; studied law, was admitted to the bar, and commenced practice in Clinton in 1858; served in the Confederate army from July, 1861, till May, 1865, and was captain in the second Ten- nessee Infantry, paroled as prisoner of war at Columbus, Mississippi, May 16, 1865 ; resumed the practice of law in Clinton, Kentucky ; elected state senator in August, 1867; elected judge of the Kentucky Court of Appeals in August, 1870; served until September, 1878; from Septem- ber, 1876, until September, 1878, chief justice of the court; practiced law in Frankfort, Kentucky, elected state senator in August, 1889; mem- ber of the World's Columbian Commission from its organization until February 20, 1893; appointed a member of the Interstate Commerce Commission in January, 1892, but declined ; elected as a democrat to the United States Senate, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of John G. Carlisle ; reelected in January, 1894; and served from February
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15, 1893, until March 3, 1901 ; moved to New York City and resumed the practice of law; in March, 1901, appointed United States commissioner to the St. Louis Exposition; died in Frankfort, Kentucky, October 15, 1909.
William Logan, a senator from Kentucky; born within fort at Harrod's Fort, Kentucky, December 8, 1776; spent early childhood in the fort at St. Asaphs, receiving private instructions from parents and tutors; moved with parents to Shelby County, Kentucky, about 1798; studied law and was admitted to the bar; delegate to the state constitu- tional convention in 1799; member of the state house of representatives and chosen speaker two terms 1803-1806, and 1808-1809; twice chosen judge of the court of appeals, and served 1808-1812; a presidential elector in 1809, 1813, and 1817; elected to the United States Senate and served from March 4, 1819, until 1820, when he resigned to become a candidate for governor; was defeated for governor; died in Harrodsburg, Ken- tucky, August 8, 1822.
James Bennett McCreary, a representative and a senator from Ken- tucky ; born in Madison County, Kentucky, July 8, 1838; was graduated from Centre College, Danville, Kentucky, in 1857; studied law, was gradu- ated from the law department of Cumberland University, Tennessee, in 1859, and commenced practice in Richmond, Kentucky, in 1860; entered the Confederate army in 1862, and was lieutenant colonel of the Eleventh Kentucky Cavalry at the close of the war; presidential elector on the democratic ticket in 1868, but declined; delegate in the democratic national convention held in New York City, July 4, 1868; member of the house of representatives of Kentucky 1869, 1871, and 1873, and served as speaker in 1871, and reelected speaker in 1873; elected governor in May, 1875; and served from August, 1875, to September, 1879; ap- pointed by the President a delegate to the international monetary con- ference held in Brussels, Belgium, in 1892; elected as a democrat to the Forty-ninth and to the five succeeding congresses (March 4, 1885- March 3, 1897) ; delegate in the democratic national convention held in Kansas City in 1900, and chairman of the state democratic committee in the campaign of 1900; elected as a democrat to the United States Senate in 1902, and served from March 4, 1903, until March 3, 1909; elected governor of Kentucky in 1912.
Thomas Clay McCreery, a senator from Kentucky; born in Daviess County, Kentucky, December 12, 1816; attended the common schools; studied law, and was admitted to the bar; presidential elector on the democratic ticket in 1852; elected as a democrat to the United States Senate to fill vacancy caused by the resignation of James Guthrie, and served from February 19, 1868, to March 3, 1871 ; reelected to the United States Senate and served from March 4, 1873, to March 3. 1879; died in Owensboro, Kentucky, July 10, 1890.
Willis Benson Machen, a senator from Kentucky; born in Caldwell County, Kentucky, April 10, 1810; attended the common schools; en- gaged in farming; delegate to the constitutional convention of 1849; member of the State Senate in 1854; served in the state house of rep- resentatives in 1856 and 1860; elected to the first and second Confederate congresses ; appointed as a democrat to the United States Senate, to fill vacancy caused by the death of Garrett Davis, and served from Septem- ber 27, 1872, to March 3, 1873; died in Louisville, Kentucky, September 28, 1893.
Humphrey Marshall, a senator from Kentucky; born in Fauquier County, Virginia, in 1756; pursued classical studies; captain in the Vir- ginia cavalry in the Revolutionary war ; moved to Kentucky, and studied
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law; delegate to the state constitutional convention; member of the state house of representatives for several years; elected as a federalist to the United States Senate, and served from March 4, 1795, to March 3, 1801 ; died near Frankfort, Kentucky, July 1, 1841.
George Brown Martin, democrat; born in Prestonsburg, Floyd County, Kentucky, August 18, 1876; when about one year of age his parents removed to Cattlettsburg, Boyd County, Kentucky, where he has since resided; was educated in the public schools of Catlettsburg, and graduated in the year 1895 at Central University, Richmond, Kentucky, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Arts; has practiced law in Catletts- burg, Boyd County, Kentucky, and in the Federal and Supreme courts of Kentucky, and the Circuit Court of Appeals of the United States since 1900; served as county judge of Boyd County in the year 1904 and as a member of the Council of National Defense for Kentucky during the year 1917; was a member of the law firm of Brown and Martin from 1900 to 1909; when the senior member of the firm, Hon. T. R. Brown, died, he assumed entire control of the business; was appointed September 7, 1918, by Governor Stanley, of Kentucky, to serve out the unexpired term of the late Senator Ollie M. James, such term expiring March 4, 1919; he is a grandson of John P. Martin, who came from Virginia in 1828 and settled at Prestonsburg, Kentucky, where he soon became a leader in the affairs of the commonwealth, being elected to and served two terms with the United States Congress; he is the son of Alexander L. Martin, who served with distinction in the State Senate of Kentucky, after whom the county of Martin when established by an act of the Legislature of Kentucky was named; on the maternal side he is the grandson of George N. Brown, who was for many years circuit judge of the Twenty-second Judicial District of Kentucky; Senator Martin is not married.
David Meriwether, a senator from Kentucky; born in Louisa County, Virginia, October 30, 1800; attended the common schools ; engaged in fur trading near Council Bluffs, Iowa; became a farmer in Kentucky ; studied law, was admitted to the bar, and practiced in Kentucky; in 1832 elected a member of the state house of representatives and served for thirteen terms ; delegate in the state constitutional convention of 1849; secretary of state of Kentucky; appointed to the United States Senate, to fill vacancy caused by the death of Henry Clay, and served from July 6, 1852, until September 1, 1852; governor of New Mexico May 6, 1853, to January 5, 1855 ; representative in the Kentucky Legislature 1858-1885, and served as speaker of the House in 1859; died near Louisville, Ken- tucky, April 4, 1893.
Thomas Metcalfe, a representative and a senator from Kentucky; born in Fanquier County, Virginia, March 20, 1780; moved with his par- ents to Fayette County, Kentucky ; attended the common schools ; learned the mason's trade; served in the War of 1812; member of the state house of representatives 1812-1816; elected as a democrat to the Sixteenth, Seventeenth, Eighteenth, Nineteenth, and Twentieth congresses, and served from March 4, 1819, until his resignation June 1, 1828; governor of Kentucky 1829-1833; elected to the State Senate in 1834; president of the board of internal improvements in 1840; appointed and subse- quently elected to the United States Senate, to fill vacancy caused by the resignation of John J. Crittenden, and served from June 23, 1848, to March 3, 1849; died in Nicholas County, Kentucky, August 18, 1855.
James Turner Morehead, a senator from Kentucky; born near Shep- herdsville, Bullitt County, Kentucky, May 24, 1797 ; purstied an academic course ; studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1818, and commenced
Vol. 11-34
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HISTORY OF KENTUCKY
practice in Bowling Green, Kentucky ; member of the state house of rep- resentatives 1827-1830; elected lieutenant governor of Kentucky in 1832, and after the death of Governor Breathitt became governor 1834-1836; again a member of the state house of representatives in 1837; president of the state board of internal improvements 1838-1841 ; elected as a whig to the United States Senate, and served from March 4, 1841, to March 3, 1847; returned to Covington, Kentucky, and resumed the practice of law until his death, December 28, 1854.
Thomas H. Paynter, a representative and a senator from Kentucky; born in Lewis County. Kentucky, December 9, 1851; attended the com- mon schools, Rand's Academy, and Centre College, Danville, Kentucky; studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1872, and engaged in practice in Greenup, Kentucky, appointed county attorney for Greenup County by appointment 1876-1878 and by election 1878-1882; elected to the Fifty- first, Fifty-second, and Fifty-third congresses and served from March 4, 1889, to January 3, 1895 ; when he resigned ; judge of the court of appeals of Kentucky 1895-1906 when he resigned; was elected to the United States Senate for the term beginning March 4, 1907.
John Pope, a senator and representative from Kentucky; born in Prince William County, Virginia, in 1770; completed preparatory studies ; studied law, and moved to Springfield, Kentucky; was admitted to the bar and practiced in Washington, Shelby, and Fayette counties; served several years as a member of the state house of representatives ; a presi- dential elector on the Jefferson ticket in 1801 ; elected as a democrat to the United States Senate and served from March 4, 1807, to March 3, 1813; territorial governor of Arkansas 1829-1835; returned to Springfield, Ken- tucky; elected as a democrat to the Twenty-fifth, Twenty-sixth, and Twenty-seventh congresses ( March 4, 1837-March 3, 1843) ; defeated for reelection to the Twenty-eighth Congress ; died in Springfield, Kentucky, July 12, 1845.
Lazarus Whitehead Powell, a senator from Kentucky, born in Hen- derson County, Kentucky, October 6, 1812; was graduated from St. Joseph College, Bardstown, in 1833; studied law, was admitted to the bar, and in 1835 began practice ; served in the state legislature as a meni- her in 1836; presidential elector on the Polk and Dallas ticket in 1844; governor of Kentucky 1851-1855; elected as a democrat to the United States Senate, and served from March 4, 1859, to March 3, 1865; dele- gate to the National Union Convention in Philadelphia in 1866; died near Henderson, Kentucky, July 3, 1867.
A. Owsley Stanley, democrat; born in Shelbyville, Kentucky, May 21, 1867 ; graduated class 1889, Center College, Danville, Kentucky ; re- ceived honorary degree LL. D. State University of Kentucky, June 1, 1916; admitted to bar 1894; congressional elector in 1900; married Miss Sue Soaper April 29, 1902 ; elected to Congress in 1902 ; served in Fifty- eighth, Fifty-ninth, Sixtieth, Sixty-first, Sixty-second and Sixty-third con- gresses from the Second District of Kentucky ; elected governor of Ken- tucky in November. 1915; served as governor until May, 1919; resigned that office to attend the extraordinary session of the United States Sen- ate, to which he was elected in November, 1918.
John White Stevenson, a representative and a senator from Kentucky ; born in Richmond, Virginia, May 14, 1812; attended Hampden-Sydney Academy and was graduated from the University of Virginia in 1832; was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in Covington, Kentucky, in 1841; county attorney ; member of the State Legislature, 1845-1847; member of the Kentucky constitutional convention of 1849; delegate to
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the Democratic National Conventions of 1848, 1852 and 1856; demo- cratic Presidential elector in 1852 and 1856; elected as a democrat to the Thirty-fifth and Thirty-sixth congresses ( March 4, 1857-March 3. 1861) ; elected lieutenant-governor of Kentucky in 1867; elected gov- ernor in 1868: elected as a democrat to the United States Senate and served from March 4, 1871, to March 3, 1877; chairman of the demo- cratic national convention at Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1880; died in Coving- ton, Kentucky, August 10, 1886.
Isham Talbot, a senator from Kentucky ; born in Bedford County, Vir- ginia, in 1773; moved with his father to Harrodsburg, Kentucky; com- pleted preparatory studies; studied law, was admitted to the bar, and commenced practice in Versailles, Kentucky ; moved to Frankfort, Ken- tucky, and continued practice; member of the State Senate 1812-1815; elected to the United States Senate to fill vacancy caused by the resig- nation of Jesse Bledsoe, and served from January 3, 1815, to March 3. 1819; again elected to the United States Senate, to fill vacancy caused by the resignation of William Logan, and served from October 19, 1820, to March 3, 1825; died near Frankfort, Kentucky, September 25, 1835.
John Burton Thompson, a representative and senator from Kentucky : born near Harrodsburg, Kentucky, December 14, 1810; completed pre- paratory studies ; studied law, was admitted to the bar, and practiced in Harrodsburg, Kentucky; served as commonwealth's attorney; member of the State Legislature in 1835 and 1836; elected as a whig to the Twenty-sixth Congress, to fill vacancy caused by the death of Simeon H. Anderson; reelected to the Twenty-seventh Congress and served from December 7, 1840, to March 3. 1843; again elected to the Thirtieth and Thirty-first congresses (March 4, 1847-March 3. 1851) ; lieutenant- governor of Kentucky, 1852; elected to the United States Senate and served from March 4. 1853, to March 3, 1859; died in Harrodsburg, Ken- tucky, January 7, 1874.
Buckner Thruston, a senator from Kentucky ; born near Winchester, Gloucester County, Virginia, February 9, 1764; completed preparatory studies and was graduated from William and Mary College in Williams- burg, Virginia ; elected a member of the State Legislature in 1788-1790; studied law, was admitted to the bar, and began practice in Lexington, Kentucky ; elected clerk of the first State Senate that convened in Ken- tucky ; one of three commissioners to settle boundary disputes between Kentucky and Virginia; one of the district judges of Kentucky for more than seven years; appointed United States judge of the court of the Territory of Orleans, but declined, having been elected senator; elected as a democrat to the United States Senate and served from March 4, 1805. to December 18, 1809, when he resigned; judge of the United States Circuit Court for the District of Columbia until his death in Washington, D. C., August 30, 1845.
Joseph Rogers Underwood, a representative and a senator from Ken- tucky : born in Goochland County, Virginia, October 24. 1791; moved with his uncle to Barren County, Kentucky, in 1803; was graduated from Transylvania College in 1811; studied law; served in the War of 1812 as lieutenant in the Thirteenth Kentucky Infantry; was admitted to the bar in 1813, and began practice in Glasgow, Kentucky; held several local offices; member of the state house of representatives, 1816-1819; moved to Bowling Green, Kentucky, in 1823; Presidential elector on the Clay ticket in 1824; again a member of the State House of Representa- tives, 1825-1826; whig candidate for lieutenant-governor of Kentucky in 1828; judge of the Court of Appeals, 1828-1835; elected as a whig to the Twenty-fourth and to the three succeeding congresses ( March 4,
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HISTORY OF KENTUCKY
1835-March 3, 1843) ; declined renomination and resumed the practice of law; Presidential elector in 1844; again a member of the state house of representatives in 1846, and served as speaker; elected as a whig to the United States Senate and served from March 4, 1847, to March 3, 1853 ; served in the State Legislature in 1861 ; delegate to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in 1864; died near Bowling Green, Ken- tucky, August 23, 1876.
George Walker, a senator from Kentucky; born in Culpeper County, Virginia, in 1768; attended the public schools; moved to Kentucky ; studied law, was admitted to the bar, and practiced; a commissioner of the Kentucky River Company in 1801; state senator, 1810-1814; ap- pointed to the United States Senate to fill vacancy caused by the resigna- tion of George M. Bibb, and served from August 30, 1814, to December 16, 1814; died in Nicholasville, Kentucky, in 1819.
John Stuart Williams, a senator from Kentucky; born in Montgom- ery County, Kentucky, in 1820; was graduated from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, in 1839; studied law, was admitted to the bar, and prac- ticed in Paris, Kentucky; served in the Mexican war, first as captain of an independent company attached to the Sixth Infantry, United States Army, and afterwards as colonel of the Fourth Regiment of Kentucky Volunteers; delegate in whig national conventions and a whig Presi- dential elector; elected to the Kentucky Legislature in 1851-1852, and again in 1873-1874; entered the Confederate Army as colonel in 1861 ; made brigadier-general in April, 1862, and surrendered with the army of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston in Georgia; engaged in farming, with resi- dence in Paris, Kentucky ; elected as a democrat to the United States Senate, and served from March 4, 1879 to March 3, 1885 ; died in Paris, Kentucky, July 17, 1898.
CHAPTER LXXIV THE COUNTIES OF KENTUCKY
VIRGINIA-FORMED COUNTIES
When Virginia was divided into counties in 1643, the County of Henrico was the most westerly. In those days the eastern bounds of the most western county were defined, and Virginia jurisdiction was supposed to extend as far west as any Virginian cared to go, or had busi- ness to transact. We can hardly say that Henrico County, the county in which Richmond now is, ever embraced Kentucky. But if occasion had arisen making it necessary to determine to what civil district Ken- tucky, as now defined, belonged at that time, it would have been adjudged as belonging to Henrico.
The next frontier county of Virginia was Orange, formed in 1734, and the same state of facts exists in regard to it as did in relation to the jurisdiction of Henrico. The eastern limits were well defined and the western limits-anywhere you could go, to the west.
Augusta County was the next frontier count of Virginia. It was formed in 1738 and extended from well-defined eastern bounds to the same point in the west as had Orange. By the definitive Treaty of Paris in 1763, the Mississippi was made the western boundary of Vir- ginia and, consequently, of Augusta County.
Botetourt County followed Augusta in 1770. By the time of its establishment Virginia had some correct idea of a western limit. Fin- castle became the frontier county in 1772. It extended to the Missis- sippi. It embraced all of what is now Kentucky, as well as much of Southwestern Virginia.
KENTUCKY
By legislative enactment of Virginia, the County of Fincastle was dissolved December 31, 1776. One part of it became on that date Ken- tucky County, Virginia, with bounds and limits as follows: "All that part thereof which lies to the south and westward of a line beginning on the Ohio River, at the mouth of Great Sandy Creek and running up the same and the main or north-easterly branch thereof to the Great Laurel Ridge or Cumberland Mountain; thence south-westerly along the said mountain to the line of North Carolina." It will be observed that northern and western limits are very indefinitely named in this enactment.
In May, 1780, Kentucky County was subdivided into three counties, neither of which was called Kentucky, and thus for a time the name "Ken- tucky" passed out of history. The names of the new counties were Jefferson, Fayette and Lincoln. Fayette County embraced all that part of the present State of Kentucky east and north of the Kentucky River and its Middle Fork. The bounds of Jefferson were "that part of the south side of Kentucky River which lies west and north of a line begin- ning at the mouth of Benson's Big Creek, and running up the same and its main fork to the head; thence south to the nearest waters of Ham- mond's Creek, and down the same to its junction with the Town Fork
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HISTORY OF KENTUCKY
of Salt River, thence south to the Green River, and down the same to its junction with the Ohio."
Lincoln County included all of what is now the State of Kentucky not embraced in the counties of Fayette and Jefferson, as set out above.
Nelson County was formed from a portion of Jefferson in 1784, and was the fourth county formed in the state.
On May 1, 1875, Fayette County was divided into two counties, the northern portion being called Bourbon, and the southern portion re- taining the name Fayette.
Bourbon was the fifth county.
Mercer County was established by the State of Virginia in 1785 and was cut from Lincoln County. It was the sixth county formed in the state.
Madison County was the seventh county and was carved from Lin- coln County and established in 1785.
On May 1, 1788, Mason County was formed out of territory taken from Bourbon. The new county embraced all the territory in Eastern Kentucky, and Northern Kentucky to the mouth of the Licking River. It was the eighth county formed by Virginia-of those now existing.
Woodford County was set up by Virginia from territory taken from Fayette in 1788. It was the last of the nine counties of Kentucky established by the State of Virginia.
FORMATION OF COUNTIES
New Counties
Old Counties Out of Which Formed Year
I. Jefferson
. Kentucky
1780
2. Fayette
Kentucky 1780
3. Lincoln Kentucky 1780
4. Nelson Jefferson 1784
5. Bourbon
Fayette 1785
6. Mercer
Lincoln 1785
7. Madison 1785
8. Mason
Bourbon 1788
9. Woodford 1788
IO. Washington Nelson
I792
II. Scott Woodford
1792
12. Shelby Jefferson
13. Logan
Lincoln
I792
14. Clark Fayette and Bourbon.
1792
15. Hardin
Nelson ".
1792
16. Green Lincoln and Nelson 1792
17. Harrison Bourbon and Scott.
18. Franklin
Woodford, Mercer and Shelby 1794
19. Campbell
Harrison, Scott and Mason. 1794
20. Bullitt
Jefferson and Nelson 1796
21. Christian Logan 1792
22. Montgomery Clark
1792
23. Bracken
Mason and Campbell . 1796
24. Warren Logan 1796
25. Garrard
Mercer, Lincoln and Madison. 1796
26. Fleming Mason 1798
27. Pulaski
Lincoln and Green .. 1798
28. Pendleton 1798
29. Livingston
Christian 1798
Campbell
30. Boone 1798
31. Henry .. Shelby 1798
32. Cumberland Green 1798
33. Gallatin Franklin and Shelby. 1798
Lincoln
Fayette
1792
1793
Bracken and Campbell.
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HISTORY OF KENTUCKY
New Counties Old Counties Out of Which Formed Year
34. Muhlenburg Logan and Christian 1798
35. Ohio . Hardin 1798
36. Jessamine
Fayette
1798
37. Barren
Warren and Green
1798
38. Henderson
Christian
1798
39. Breckinridge Hardin 1799
40. Floyd Fleming, Montgomery and Mason 1799
41. Knox Lincoln 1799
42. Nicholas
Bourbon and Mason
1799
43. Wayne
Green
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